Staple blank



July 5, 1960 H. F. PETERSSEN STAPLE'BLANK Filed Apr 11 1, 1957 IN V EN TOR:

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ATTORNEYS United States Patent STAPLE BLANK Henry F. Peterssen, Westerly, R.I., assignor to Bostitch, Inc., 'Stovington, Conn., a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Apr. 1, 1957, Ser. No. 649,736

2 Claims. (CI. 59-77) This invention relates to a new method of packaging fastener-elements to provide a supply or refill-cartridge for fastener-applying machines and implements and the improved package produced thereby.

One object of the invention is to provide a supph package containing partly formed fastener-elements adapted to be further formed into U-shaped staples or the like, with a maximum number of the elements compacted within a minimum space and deliverable from a strip to the driving means of fastener-applying machines and implements.

Another object is to provide a method of connecting a multiplicity of preformed metal fastener-elements in a strip adapted to be wound on itself into a coil, or looped in layers to form a longitudinally-extending relatively flat package, for use as a refill-cartridge for supplying fastener-applying machines and implements.

Another object is to provide a package of fastenerelements constructed from lengths of wire or similar strip-material partly formed to locate the points for bending the wire into angularly related portions constituting a crown or crossbar with legs projecting angularly therefrom at its ends.

Another object is to provide a supply or refill-cartridge containing an extraordinarily large number of partly formed fastener-elements compacted within a minimum space, yet capable of properly delivering the elements individually to the driving means of a fastener-applying machine or implement.

Another object is to provide a plurality of fastener-elements preformed to define the bridge and legs of staples at the points of bending, with means for bonding a plurality of said elements in abutting relationship in a strip or band of considerable length that may be coiled on itself in a roll, folded lengthwise to form a fiat package, or separated into convenient lengths for stacking.

Another object is to provide a strip of connected fastener-elements preformed with a crown or crossbar in a plane elevated above the plane of the leg portions to adapt the strip, or sections thereof, to be arranged one length above another with the elements nested to prevent lateral displacement thereof and dislocation of the different layers constituting the package.

Another object is to provide a supply-package or refill cartridge consisting in a continuous strip of connected fastener-elements disposed in nested relationship, one layer above another, with the crown and leg portions located in different planes to form a central channel therebetween for guiding the strip in feeding it in a machine, whereby to provent lateral displacement there of and twisting or dislocation of the individual elements.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved commercial package or refill-cartridge containing a large supply of fastener-elements packed more compactly to economize in space while also preventing dislocation of the elements.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following specification which describes a preferred form of the elements and several methods for uniting them in a continuous strip.

The invention is herein illustrated and described as embodied in several preferred forms which consist in preforming and assembling fastener-elements or staple-units to adapt them to be subsequently converted into U-shaped staples having a crossbar or crown and angularly-related legs; with the final shaping completed in the fastenerapplying machine or implement.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective View illustrating one embodiment of the present invention as comprising a plurality of partly formed fastener-elements or blanks connected in a strip wound on itself into a coil or roll, and also showing a single element detached from the end of the strip and a staple as finally shaped therefrom;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the strip of fastenerelements looped or folded in longitudinally-extending layers to produce relatively flat coils or packages;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a plurality of separated sections of the strip stacked one above another in nested relationship with the lowermost section shown as partly withdrawn from the bottom of the stack; and

Fig. 4 is an end view of several stacked sections of the strip assembled in nested relationship with one fastener-element separated from the stack and a single element completely formed into a U-shaped staple.

For many years a common practice in the fastenerapplying art has been to join a plurality of U-shaped fasteners or staples in a rigid strip with the individual elements cemented or otherwise suitably bound together by frangible means to adapt them to be detached and fed to the driving means of a machine or implement. Such a form of supply, commonly called a stick, is used for loading the machine by inserting it into a troughlike magazine to be fed therealong for supplying the fasteners individually to the driving means of the implement. However, due to the projecting legs of the fasteners the sticks cannot be nested or stacked compactly and consequently the number of staples contained in a magazine is extremely limited; for example, only one or two sticks can be used in a machine unless the magazine is of considerable length. In fact, the capacity of the magazine for containing such a form of fastener-supply or cartridge is so limited that the maximum number of the fasteners is usually not more than two hundred units.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a supply-strip or refill-cartridge containing several thousand individual fastener-elements which when used in a machine provides for numerous repeated applications without replenishing the supply in the magazine.

In the early practice of the stapling art it was proposed to use a flexible staple-strip of somewhat greater length and capacity than the present rigid stick" with the staples connected together by integral portions of the metal, such a form of strip being mounted at the rear of the manually-operated stapling implement by supporting it on a spiral metal band. But even with this previ ously used method of supplying the staples, only a comparatively small increase in the whole number of individual fasteners was possible and this type of supply and the device for using it have long since become obsolete and practically disappeared from use.

In accordance with the present invention, a partly formed fastener-element 2 may consist in a length of round wire or fiat strip-material (Figs. 1 and 4), shaped to provide a head or crown 4 with projecting end portions 5, 5 depressed in a plane parallel to and slightly below the plane of the crown 4 to eventually constitute the downwardly projecting legs of a staple s. As shown particularly in Fig. 4, the depressed portions 5, 5 are preferably formed by bending the wire or other material the crown or crossbar 4 of the partly-formed blank or element 2 is disposed in a plane parallel to but raised above the common plane of its legportions 5, 5 so that a series of the elements may be connected in a continuous strip, or a plurality of shorter lengths separated therefrom, may be assembled in nested relationship as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The individual fastener-elements 2 may be joined together in a strip S by several different methods as previously used in the art. When the strip S is to be co'iled on itself to form a roll R (Fig. 1), or looped back and forth in layers to provide a relatively fiat package L (Fig. 2), a thin binding strip B is cemented across the top of the crown or crossbar portions 4 of the fastenerelements 2. The binding strip B may be of relatively thin paper, plastic material or the like to render it flexible so the strip can be bent in coiling it as shown in Fig. 1, or looping it in relatively long lengths as illustrated in Fig, 2. If desired, the roll R may be wound on a hollow core or cardboard tube for mounting it on a spindle in the machine; whereas, the fiat package may be held by a roller at one or both ends to adapt the strip to be drawn off therefrom.

When the strip S is to be severed into short lengths to form relatively rigid sticks S an adhesive, such as collodion, plastic or other suitable binding cement is applied to the fastener-elements, preferably under the crown portions toconnect them together in parallel, contiguous relationship. The fastener-elements 2 thus will be bound together in substantially rigid lengths as shown in Fig. 3 with the bond readily frangible. The individual fasteners may thus be readily detached from the strip and fed to suitable means in the machine or implement by which they are finally shaped and applied to the work. While a completed staple s is herein illustrated as of conventional U-shape, it is to be understood that both its crown or head and legs may be of other configuration as frequently used in the art. For example, the crown or crossbar may be arched upwardly in an are or formed with inclined portions meeting at the center, and the legs of the staple may be arranged at different angles, such as inclined outwardly. Other variations may be made in the shape of the initial blank or fastener-element or during its subsequent shaping in a stapling machine or implement, all within the purview and scopeof the present invention.

The elements 2 of the rolled or folded strip S may be compacted very closely for shipment in boxes, cartons or paper wrappers; or the strip may be broken apart in sticks used either singly or in stacked form as a supply cartridge to be withdrawn individually either from the top or bottom of the stack P ('Fig. 3) when placed in the magazine of a machine. For each method of use, either as a roll R (Fig. 1); flat package L (Fig. 2); or stack P (Fig. 3); the elements are combined in especially compact association to occupy a minimum of space, notwithstanding an exceedingly large number of fastener units are available for feeding to the applying means of the machine or implement. Thus, a very considerable economy in space is possible in the machine or implement and the rolls, packages or stacks may be handled more conveniently and enclosed in a more compact container or wrapper to further economize by rendering the commercial package less bulky. Moreover, by the present improved method of packaging the fastener-elements better protection is afforded to prevent dislocation of the individual units or twisting and distortion of the strip itself.

It will be observed that my new method of preforming and assembling fastener-elements in strips provides an important improvement in the art. It is to be understood that in any of the forms illustrated herein the improved package may be used with a particular type of machine or fastener-applying implement having means for unrolling the strip from the package of the type shown in Fig, 1; or withdrawing the strip from either the upper or under side of a flat package such as shown in Fig. 2; or used in a usual type of hollow magazine of a width to accommodate the increased length of the elements in their present form.

It is to be further understood that while the invention is herein illustrated and described in several preferred forms, variations may be made in the shape of the preformed elements, in the method of assembling them, and in binding them together in a strip without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. A blank for the construction of U-shaped staples consisting in a length of fastener material having an intermediate crown portion with integral leg portions bent downwardly at the opposite ends of said crown portion to extend therefrom in portions inclined obliquely to said crown portion and continued outwardly therebeyond in a plane slightly below the parallel to the plane of said crown portion.

2. A blank for the construction of U-shaped staples consisting in a length of fastener material having a relatively straight crown portion at its center with integral leg portions bent downwardly therefrom at spaced points therealong to define the ends of said crown portion, said leg portions sloping obliquely downward in relatively short lengths merging into horizontal straight leg portions disposed in a plane slightly below and parallel to said central crown portion to adapt a plurality of said blanks to be assembled in overlying layers with the blanks of tie different layers nested in mating interlocking relations 1p.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N0o 2,943 436 July 5 1960 i I 7 Henry F Petersse n It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below,

In the grant line 2 address of assignee for "Stovington Connecticut read Stonington Connecticut 5 in the heading to the printed specification line 4 address of assignee for "Stovington Conn, read Stonington Conno column 4 line 38 for "'the first occurrence read and Signed and sealed this 29th day of November 1960,

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL o AXLINE ROBERT c. WATSON Attesting Officer Comissioner of Patents 

